She’s the wild card that everyone in comedy loves to be around. Heckle her while she has the mic in her hand at your own risk, because she’ll roast you to tears. As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Shelly Howls. The Bakersfield, CA native shares some of their favorite moments in stand-up comedy and lets us know how they always own the laughs.
Name: Shelly Howls
Hometown: Bakersfield, CA/Lolo, MT
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: N/A
Years in Comedy: 2.5 years
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: Currently working on a comedy page and performing at every open mic in Missoula….for now.
Comedic Influences: Larry David, Will Ferrell, Dave Chapelle, George Carlin, and Tom Segura
Favorite Comedy Movie: Half-Baked, StepBrothers, and Anchorman.
Favorite Comedy TV Show: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Favorite Comedic Character: The Coked Up Werewolf, he briefly appeared on the Late Late Show w/ Conan O’Brien decades ago.
Favorite City to Perform In: San Diego, CA and Missoula, MT
Favorite Comedy Club: I dream of performing at The Comedy Store.
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
I discovered my passion for comedy back in 2009, when I lived in Guam, I would always roast my co-workers, I love roasting.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
My first time performing comedy was in Bakersfield, CA. I remember I thought I did great…then I listened to that set over and over and realized it was complete garbage. I bombed at least 20 times after that.
How would you describe your comedic style:
My love life, childhood, my mother, and strangers. My comedic style depends on my mood, I improv. I am blunt, and a storyteller. I have also started to act in a character I am joking about. I will usually take the premise and know the joke I have prepared for the set I am performing and work through my material and hit it differently every time. I will jump into a joke or set up a joke depending on the crowd. I have gotten criticism for my method.
How do people react towards you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
People think I am full of shit when I tell them I am a comedian because with work and grad school I am meticulous.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
The best advice I got from another comic was to save it for the stage, cliche but it works.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
If I released a comedy special this week it would be called, “Champagne and Reefer” for Muddy Waters, my life is the blues. Shelly Howls is influenced by Howlin Wolf.
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
Funniest encounter with a celebrity, I convinced Colter Wall, a Western Folk singer to take shots of tequila with me when I ran into him at a bar in Solana Beach. It was funny because he could not finish the tequila and I roasted him. I roasted my favorite musician, I will never forget it.
A Shelly Howls Fun Fact:
Well back in the day, I was a regular on a local radio show with my buddy at the time. I was also a DJ in Bakersfield and they would randomly call me and ask about my night and they would air it on the radio. I was 20 years old at the time.
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
I hope my comedy takes me to The Comedy Store, the biggest dream I have…my name on a marquee.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
I always tell comedians not to fear the stage, when you have a mic in your hand, you’re in control of the crowd, it’s on you to earn those laughs. There is never a bad crowd, just a bad set.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
My thoughts on the future of comedy. We need to collectively be bold and genuine.
If you could write one episode for one classic TV sitcom which show would it be and give a brief detailed sentence on the episode:
If I could, I would write an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I love that show.
If you could choose 1 comedy club and 3 comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
I would choose The Comedy Store and perform alongside Austin Bovee, Mike Scott, and John Hacker….my favorite comics.
What’s next for you:
I am currently finishing my graduate work to be a clinical mental health counselor and pursuing a PhD in counseling…but comedy is the dream. I hope to someday in this life be known as a very funny intelligent woman with integrity and wit.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
People should always laugh at life, in fact as a future mental health professional, we are taught to use humor when appropriate in counseling, humor is very important for mental health.
